We’re building The VP Chicago—a Black-led, community-rooted news organization focused on the stories and solutions that matter to residents of Chicago’s South and West sides. Our reporting focuses on the factors that influence community outcomes: health, income, education, housing, and environmental conditions.

In Chicago, life expectancy can vary by roughly 20 years depending on your neighborhood. A child born in West Garfield Park today can expect to live about two decades fewer than a child born in the Loop.

Black infants in Cook County experience dramatically higher rates of sleep-related and infant deaths compared with white infants—one of many indicators of health inequity rooted in structural disinvestment.

As of a 2022 report, more than 500,000 Chicagoans live in “food deserts.” The vast majority are in neighborhoods on the South and West sides.

The 2024 reassessment and changes in the county’s tax structure shifted a heavier burden onto homeowners in majority-Black neighborhoods on the South and West sides, resulting in spikes as high as +133% in places like West Garfield Park.

But, there's a way to surface and highlight solutions that can lead to real impact and healthier, stronger communities.

That's where The VP Chicago comes in.

We make news a tool for strengthening our communities—not a mirror of problems but a catalyst for solutions. Most importantly, we’re not doing this for the community. We’re doing this with and as part of the communities we're focused on. This is journalism as a public service, and we need your help to get started.